On Aug. 26, as a protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the Brewers, Mariners and Dodgers chose not to play.
The move came three days after police in Kenosha, Wis., shot Blake, a Black man, seven times in the back after responding to a 911 call. It was the latest in a string of disturbing incidents involving police and Black Americans, following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville earlier this year.
The NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks were the first professional team to act when they refused to take the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, and baseball followed within hours.
The Brewers, Mariners and Dodgers were the first to sit out. The following day, Aug. 27, seven more games were postponed after players on one or both teams protested by not playing. Another was postponed for the same reason the following day. In all, 11 games featuring 21 teams were postponed.
“There’s a lot going on in the world,” Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts said. “Change needs to be made. I have to use my platform to get the ball rolling.”
The reaction of many was that players should “stick to sports” and stay out of broader social issues. But such statements ignore the fact that player activism has been a part of baseball since its earliest years. While baseball is frequently characterized as a conservative sport—often accurately—players speaking out and taking action goes back more than 125 years.
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Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Baseball America.
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THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
MLBâs byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.
TOP 10 NL EAST
From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44
MAKING THE GRADE
Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects
TOP 10 NL WEST
Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this yearâs MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managersâ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound